Paul Domowitch

STAFF WRITER

Paul Domowitch is a pro football writer for the Inquirer and Daily News, where he has worked since 1982. He has covered nearly 30 Super Bowls and has been a selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the last 15 years.

A story in today's Charlotte Observer references a contract loophole in the CBA that would impact injured linebacker Thomas Davis.

The story cites Article XXXII, Section 2 of the previous CBA that said "any player who was not activated from PUP while in the last year of his contract would have that contract "toll" or carry over into the next season."

The article goes on to state that Eagles defensive end Victor Abiamiri is in the same position, meaning his contract would carry over with the Eagles. Abiamiri spent all of last season on the PUP list after undergoing microfracture surgery on his knee. He made $550,000 (most of it guaranteed) last season and would make the same salary again if the rule was applied.

A few issues: Davis was drafted in 2005, which means, he has 6 years of service and would have been an unrestricted free agent if the courts grant the NFLPA its injunction and the lockout is lifted and the league implements last year's free agent rules (6 years of servce to become an unrestricted free agent).

Abiamiri was drafted in '07 and only has
4 years of service. If they use last year's rules, he's still a restricted free agent.

If there's a new agreement, we have no way of knowing whether that PUP rule would still exist.

Even if the rule did impact Davis in the same way as Abiamiri, we're talking about a guy who: a) may never play again; and b) may not even make the team if he can.

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